CP Plus DVR Backup Not PlayingOpen the DAV Export, or Make One That Plays Anywhere
You backed up the clip from the CP Plus recorder to a pen drive and carried it to the office or the police station. On the PC it opens to an error or a black window. The backup is fine. CP Plus recorders save in a format that needs its own player, and once you know that, there are three ways to get the clip playing.
A CP Plus DVR backup usually will not play on a PC because the recorder saves it in its original DAV format, which Windows Media Player and most apps cannot open. Install the CP Plus Orange SmartPlayer from the official software page and the file plays. If you need a clip that opens anywhere, back it up again as MP4 or AVI from the recorder, or convert the DAV file to MP4 on the PC.
CP Plus recorders run on the Dahua platform, and Dahua backups come in four flavours: ASF, AVI, MP4 and DAV, the last being the recorder's own original format. DAV keeps everything the recorder knows about the clip, which is why it is the default and why it is also the one a normal player chokes on.
Why will a CP Plus backup not play on a PC?
Two reasons, and they stack. First, the default backup is a DAV file, a container only the recorder's own player understands, so a double-click in Windows goes nowhere. Second, many newer CP Plus units record in H.265 to save disk space, and an H.265 clip trips up players that would have handled H.264. Owners on the Dahua platform report that H.265 backups fail in a wide range of players even when exported as MP4, with errors such as the file opening unsuccessfully. So a backup that will not play is rarely a bad copy. It is the wrong player, or a codec the player lacks.
Which player opens CP Plus DVR backup files?
The official one. CP Plus publishes the CPPLUS Orange SmartPlayer on its software page, version 4.001 at the time of writing, as a free download for Windows. It is the CP Plus build of the Dahua Smart Player, so it opens DAV and ASF backups directly and also plays AVI, MOV, MP4 and FLV. Install it on the PC where the clip needs to play, open the DAV file from the pen drive and the recording runs with the channel and time shown.
"A DAV file is not broken, it is only waiting for its own player."
Rollins Duke, video forensics, RecoveryTools
How do you export a CP Plus backup that plays anywhere?
If you still have access to the recorder, the cleanest fix is a second backup in a friendlier format.
- Open Backup on the recorder. Pick the channel, the start and end time and the pen drive as the destination.
- Choose MP4 or AVI as the format. On the Dahua platform the backup screen offers ASF, AVI, MP4 and DAV. MP4 is the one that opens on phones, laptops and in email.
- Copy the player too, if offered. Some firmware has an option to copy the SmartPlayer onto the pen drive alongside the clip, which solves the problem for whoever receives it.
- Test it before you leave. Plug the pen drive into a PC and play the file once. Finding out at the police station is too late.
One caveat: if the recorder records in H.265, an MP4 backup still carries H.265 video inside, so the PC needs a player that supports it, such as a current VLC, or the clip needs converting to H.264.
How do you convert a CP Plus DAV file to MP4?
When the pen drive is all you have, convert the DAV on the PC. The SmartPlayer itself can export a clip to a standard format, and free tools can repackage the video without touching its quality. Our DAV to MP4 guide walks through both routes step by step, and the DAV file explainer covers what is inside the container. Keep the original DAV as well: for anything official, the untouched export is the version that carries weight, and the MP4 is a convenience copy.
What if the backup is corrupt or the pen drive looks empty?
Three things cause this, and none of them mean the footage is lost.
- The pen drive format. A recorder can write to a drive in a way Windows then refuses to read. Try the drive on another PC, and for the next backup use a pen drive formatted as FAT32 or NTFS that the recorder has accepted before.
- A cut-off copy. Pulling the drive out early leaves a partial file that no player can finish. Back it up again and wait for the recorder to confirm.
- A codec the player lacks. The file is whole but the PC cannot decode H.265. Install the SmartPlayer or a current VLC and try again.
Do not let the recorder overwrite the original while you troubleshoot the copy. A CP Plus DVR with overwrite on keeps replacing old video. If the clip matters, lock it on the recorder or back it up again at once, then sort out the player.
Which route should you take?
Match your situation to the quickest fix.
| Situation | Do this | Result |
|---|---|---|
| DAV file on the pen drive, PC in front of you | Install the CP Plus Orange SmartPlayer | Plays with channel and time shown |
| Clip must go to someone else by email or phone | Back it up again as MP4, or convert the DAV to MP4 | Plays on any device |
| MP4 backup still will not play | Use a player with H.265 support, or convert to H.264 | Plays everywhere |
| Pen drive shows empty or the file is cut off | Back it up again on a FAT32 or NTFS drive and wait for the confirmation | Whole, playable file |
| Recorder has already overwritten the clip | Read the hard disk on a PC | Recovered and exported as MP4 |
What if the recorder no longer has the footage?
Sometimes the backup fails and, by the time you notice, the recorder has looped past the clip. The video is usually still on the hard disk, outside the recorder's index, until newer recording lands on that space. Reading the disk on a PC with software that understands the CP Plus layout finds it and exports it straight to MP4, so the player question never comes up. The full method is in our CP Plus footage recovery guide.
In short
- A CP Plus backup is a DAV file by default, and it needs the CP Plus Orange SmartPlayer to open.
- Back up as MP4 or AVI from the recorder for a clip that plays anywhere.
- H.265 recordings need a player with H.265 support even when saved as MP4.
- Keep the original DAV for anything official and use the MP4 as the working copy.
- If the recorder has overwritten the clip, read the hard disk on a PC to get it back.
Common questions
Why is my CP Plus DVR backup not playing on my computer?
The recorder saves backups in its original DAV format by default, and ordinary players cannot open DAV. Install the CP Plus Orange SmartPlayer from the official software page and the file plays. If the clip is an MP4 that still fails, the recorder likely records in H.265, so use a player with H.265 support or convert the clip.
Which player do I need for CP Plus DVR video files?
The CP Plus Orange SmartPlayer, a free Windows download on the CP Plus software page. It is the CP Plus build of the Dahua Smart Player and opens DAV and ASF backups, plus AVI, MOV, MP4 and FLV files. It also shows the channel and recording time while the clip plays.
Can a CP Plus DVR back up directly to MP4?
Yes. The backup screen on the Dahua platform offers ASF, AVI, MP4 and DAV. Choose MP4 for a file that opens on phones and laptops without extra software. If the recorder records in H.265, the MP4 still needs a player that supports H.265.
How do I convert a CP Plus DAV file to MP4?
Open the DAV in the SmartPlayer and use its export to save a standard file, or repackage it with a free converter on the PC. Our DAV to MP4 guide covers both routes. Keep the original DAV file as well, because the untouched export is the version to hand over for anything official.
Why does my pen drive from the CP Plus DVR show as empty?
Either the recorder wrote the drive in a way Windows will not read, or the copy was cut off before it finished. Try the drive on another PC, then back up again onto a FAT32 or NTFS pen drive the recorder has accepted before, and wait for the recorder to confirm before you remove it.
The backup failed and the recorder has overwritten the clip. Is it gone?
Not necessarily. The video stays on the hard disk until newer recording covers that space. Take the disk out, dock it to a Windows PC, then read it with software made for the CP Plus layout. The clip can then be exported as MP4 directly, with the timestamp kept.
Clip gone from the recorder?
DVRXaminer reads the CP Plus hard disk and exports recordings straight to MP4, including clips the recorder has already overwritten or deleted. Try the free scan and check the clips first.
Sources
- CP Plus software page listing the CPPLUS Orange SmartPlayer V4.001
- Dahua platform documentation on backup formats and the Smart Player
- Dahua platform owner reports on H.265 export playback